Collapsible vehicle top



Dec. 18, 1951 M. BESSONNEAU 2,578,991

, COLLAPSIBLE VEHICLE TOP Filed June so, 1947 Y s sheets -sheet 1 1951 M. BESSGNNEAU coLLAPsILE VEHICLELTOP Filed June 30, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 18,195] B'ESSQNNEAU 2,578,991

COLLAPSILBLE VEHICLE TOP Filed June 50, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Qec. 18, 1951 41v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COLLAPSIBLE VEHICLE TOP Maurice Bessonneau, Puteaux, France Application June so, 1947, Serial No. 758,056 In France July 13, 1946 Two-door, four-seat, four-window cabs of the folding hood type are already known. In such automobiles the rear windows that may be movable or stationary are uncovered and visible from the outside in a permanent manner. Now many customers prefer a four-seat, two-door cab in which the two rear seats are not visible from the outside when the hood is unfolded. Such customers are constrained to buy the cab type including two doors, four seats and only two windows, which type shows the drawback that the two rear seats are almost impossibleto use by reason of the wind when the car reaches a speed of 50 miles per hour with the hood folded.

My invention has for its object to satisf the customers referred to. To this purpose, it has for its subject-matter a cab of the two-door, fourseat, four-window type, wherein the rear windows are shifted laterally with reference to the front windows and the folded hood may conceal the rear windows and fit over the front windows.

In a preferred form of execution, the lateral shifting of the rear windows is performed inwardly whereby said rear windows are not visible from the outside when the hood is unfolded. It is moreover of advantagein particular in the latter case to provide a longitudinal overlap, of a few centimeters for instance, between the front and rear windows.

My invention is not limited as concerns the manner of controlling the hood which may be moved by hand or through a motor. However, the receding hood is preferably of the type described in my U. S. A. Patent No. 2,185,581.

By way of example and by no means in a limiting sense, I have described hereinafter and illustrated in accompanying drawings an embodiment of my improved cab with a folded hood according to my invention. In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of said cab with the hood closed.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the hood folded.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic side view of the part of the pivoted frame of the hood lying in front of the line separating the front window from the rear window.

Fig. 4 illustrates diagrammatically, looking towards the front of the automobile, the right hand side of the frame of the closed hood.

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged views of the parts of said frame shown inside the circle designated in Figsid and 3 by the corresponding reference numerals 5 and B.

Fig. 7 is a part plan view of the cab with the hood folded.

2 Claims. (01. 296-107) vided with two further windows 3' that are stationary or movable and are located to the rear of the windows I of the stationary part of the body-work, said latter windows 3 being according to my invention slightly shifted towards the inside of the car as apparent from Fig. 7; these windows extend compartively far to the rear and protect efliciently, when the automobile has its hood down (Fig. 2), the passengers sitting in the rear seats against the wind; a slight overlap, that is advantageous without being essential, exists in the example illustrated between the rear edge of each front window I and the front end of the rear window 3 corresponding therewith. When the automobile has its hood on as shown in Fig. i

1, the rear windows 3 are entirely concealed by the hood 4 fitting over the front window pane l and over the Windshields 5 in the usual manner, whereby the appearance of the automobile is wholly identical with that of the usual four-seat, two-window cab.

In this form of execution, the hood 4 is carried by a pivoting frame of the type used heretofore only on automobiles with a folding hood and four visible windows and described in my said prior Patent No. 2,185,581. I will only mention, of such an arrangement, the elements that have been modified so as to be applicable to the present case. A chief element of the known arrangement is constituted to either side of the automobile by a central rest or upright 1 pivotally secured to a stationary point 8 located a little behind the rear edge 9 of the gate 2 while the two cooperating uprights are connected through a transversal arch Ill to which the hood canvas is secured. The two uprights are provided with a longitudinal groove serving as slideways for the members controlling the pivoted frame of the hood located to the front of said arch l 0..

In the particular application to the present invention of such an arrangement, each upright 1 lies, when the hood is on, in the plane of the front window I, immediately in contact with the rear edge of the latter, that is on the outside with reference to the rear window 3 and it carries a fluid-tight rubber packing l2 that is urged by said upright against said rear edge of the front glass pane I. In addition the canvas of the hood is secured to said uprights down to the belt of the automobile bodywork. When the hood is folded, the upright l recedes inside the usual housing provided for the hood as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, which housing is closed at front side window mounted on a respective side; i

door and having a rear edge; a rear side. window. mounted on the body of the automobile rearwardly and inwardly of and in spacedreleition to said rear side window overlaps the rear edge portion of said front side window, whereby a vertical narrow gap is provided between said rear edge portion of said front side window and said front edge portion of said rear side window; an upright pivotally mounted at its bottom end on the body of said automobile in the region of the rear edge of said front side window and being connected: at :its top end to said foldable top so as to turn together therewith during movement of the foldable top between open and covering positions, said upright being located so as to engage therduter-surface of said rear side window and so front side window and having afront edge, 1o.- cated in the region of the rear edge of said front side window and inwardly thereof so as to form a. gap between said front side window and said rear side window; and an upright pivotally -mounted.. at its bottom end on the body of the V automobile in the region. of the rear edgev of said frontside window and being connected at. its top end to said foldable top so as toturn to- ,gether with the same during movement of the foldable top between open and-covering position, said upright. being located so as to engage the outer surface. of said rear side window and so aslto abut against the rear edge of said front side window when said foldable top is in cover- .ing position, whereby said uprightserves in'such covering positionfof the-foldable topsimultaneouslyasa closure means for-said gap between saidv front edge of the rear side window and said rear edge of the front side window and as a vibration preventing means firmly holding both windows and preventing contact therebetween during movement of the automobile.

.2. In an automobile of the convertible type having a body, a foldable topand two opposite as to abut against the rear edge of said front side window when said foldable top is in covering siimn herebr said upright serves in such covering. position of the foldable top simultaneously as a closure means for said narrow vertical gap-between the front edge portion of said rear side window and the rear edgeportion of said front: side :window-and as a vibration preventing means-firmlyholding both, windows and preventing: contacttherebetween during movementvofi the automobile; and an elongated strip of resilient material which. is of .lesser thickness than the thickness of said narrow vertical gap connected to said upright andlocated in-said narrow vertical gap between said rear edge portion of said front side window :and said front edge: portion ofssaid rear side window, when the foldabletop is in covering position,.whereby, if, said windows should move towards "each other, said strip-50f resilient material .effectiyel prevents contact therebetween. p MAURICE BESSONNEAU.

REFERENCES CITED 7 V The following references are of recordin the file of this patent:

I UNITED STATESPATEN'IS Date GreatiBritain; Oct. 3, 1929 

